There’s a running joke in my house that any time Michael starts to talk about big bank account changing events like buying a car or a house, I skip right past the part where we have a grown up discussion about our long term goals and go straight to panicking like we’re writing a check tomorrow. Just before we signed the papers on our Subaru, Michael couldn’t even say the word car in front of me or I would find a hundred different reasons for why buying a car was a very bad idea and probably going to ruin our lives forever and we should back out now. And that was for a car. A used car. So needless to say, our conversations about buying a house in the future have been… slow going.
This month, as I’ve started talking a bit more about these anxieties, I’ve realized that a lot of this fear stems from the fact that buying property feels like a total unknown to me, both on a micro level (where do you even start?) and on a macro level (are we in the middle of a bubble? Is buying even a good idea right now?). Not to mention, all of the people I know who own property fall into one of these three categories:
- Live 3,000 miles away.
- Bought their home in the ’90s for a fraction of houses cost right now.
- Have lots of money in the bank and don’t need to worry about financing.
And the majority of even them have said that buying a house was one of the most frustrating experiences of their relationships thus far. So not only do I not know where to start, but I don’t even know who to ask. Which is why we’ve partnered up with Owners.com for today’s open thread. Owners.com is a new online real estate platform that flips the traditional agent relationship and puts buyers and sellers at the helm of the process. Since their hybrid business model is all about self-directed buying and selling (with the support of a licensed broker when you get stuck or feel like you’re in over you’re head), one of their primary missions is making sure potential buyers are super informed about what they’re getting into (their ABC’s of real estate is like magic). And that’s what I want to start doing today.
What I’ve realized these past few months is that just getting these fears and anxieties out into the world has been immensely helpful in quieting the voices fueling them. Mostly because A) talking about it makes me feel less alone; B) You guys never start comments with, “When I was your age…”; and C) APWers are homeowners! With lots of great information. (For starters: apparently you can take classes on first time home buying?! I feel better already.) So with that in mind, I want to open up the floor to you guys.
But before we get started, in conjunction with our open thread, Owners.com is joining us on Facebook today for a Q&A to answer all of those homebuying questions that, well, can be answered. So if you have any specific logistical questions about things like what to look for in a home, how to look past cosmetics, and when is the right time to buy a home, then head over here and leave us a comment. Owners.com will be checking throughout the day and answering in real-time.
What are your fears and anxieties about homebuying? And homeowners, what are your best tips and resources for getting started?
This post was sponsored by Owners.com, a new online real estate platform that flips the traditional agent model and puts the home buying process in the hands of, well, buyers. Their self-directed buying model means that you never have to worry about paying a ton in commission for work that you could do on your own (with the help of their licensed brokers if you need it, of course.) Owners.com even offers rebates for buyers, and a flat fee for sellers. Not ready to buy yet? Just starting the process? Owners.com has an incredible resource section filled with tons of great information about getting started on the home buying journey. Or click here to search for homes in your area.
